Weather: weather is mixed for the coming days, but there looks like there might be some opportunities to get planting done where the drill is following the plough.

When weather allows get out with herbicide where ground is trafficable. Early applications give the best control.

Slugs: keep an eye out for slugs. The recent rain and damp conditions may help to increase numbers. Put out a slate with some porridge underneath it and see if any slugs come overnight. Treat as appropriate. Slugs need to pass over the pellets or the product so do not apply before heavy rain which will dissolve the product and it will be wasted.

Herbicides: if applying pre-emergence or even post-emergence sprays keep an eye out for heavy rain. If heavy rain is due then you should avoid applying these types of products before that rain. Ideally you would have the spray applied 48 hours before heavy rain. Ground is too wet to roll in many areas now, but it should be noted that you should not roll crops after applying a residual herbicide which many of the products applied to winter cereals are. The products create a seal on top of the ground to prevent weeds from coming through. If land is rolled after it is applied then the seal is broken.

If you have Firebird Met in stock you should use it up by 24 November 2025. This contains metribuzin which is now banned in the EU. Flufenacet, the main ingredient in Firebird will go off the market in 2026. So, Firebird will have to be used by 10 December 2026. Flufenacet is the main control of grass weeds in Firebird and Firebird Met, the DFF in the product controls broadleaved weeds, while metribuzin also helps to control broadleaved weeds, particularly some weeds that are hard to control in the winter like Groundsel.

BYDV: barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) is a risk in winter cereals, but less so with winter barley now as about 60% of the seed sold is BYDV tolerant, meaning these varieties can show symptoms of BYDV, but should not be affected on yield. Crops sown in September and early October are most at risk from BYDV, but temperatures have been mild at times for aphids to travel. An aphicide might be warranted on some crops of wheat and barley sown early and a follow up may be needed. Some also advise to spray tolerant varieties, but that is up to the farmer. Spraying aphicide can also kill beneficial predators so consideration is needed before applying. Infection also appears to have occurred later in the season in recent years so it is hard to know when to spray. Carnadine is a new insecticide on the market that can be applied to winter crops from growth stage 21 (the start of tillering).

Safety grant: if you have some PTO covers that need to be changed you should apply to the National Farm Safety Measure. You can get some financial assistance on up to four PTO covers under the measure. The closing date is 7 November 2025. Contact your adviser to apply.